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Burlesque-Parody-The "Splendid Shilling"-Prior-
Pope-Ambrose Philips Parodies of Gray's Elegy-
Gay
CHAPTER II.
Defoe-Irony-Ode to the Pillory-The "Comical Pil-
grim" The "Scandalous Club"-Humorous Periodicals
-Heraclitus Ridens-The London Spy-The British
Apollo
CHAPTER III.
22
Swift-"Tale of a Tub"-Essays-Gulliver's Travels-
Variety of Swift's Humour-Riddles-Stella's Wit--
Directions for Servants-Arbuthnot
CHAPTER IV.
44
Steele The Funeral-The Tatler-Contributions of Swift
-Of Addison-Expansive Dresses -"Bodily Wit".
Rustic Obtuseness-Crosses in Love-Snuff-taking
62
1
CHAPTER V.
Spectator-The Rebus-Injurious Wit-The Everlasting
Club-The Lovers' Club-Castles in the Air-The
Guardian-Contributions by Pope-"The Agreeable
Companion"-The Wonderful Magazine-Joe Miller-
Pivot Humour
CHAPTER VI.
77
Sterne-His Versatility-Dramatic Form-Indelicacy-
Sentiment and Geniality—Letters to his Wife-Extracts
from his Sermons-Dr. Johnson
CHAPTER VII.
99
Dodsley-"A Muse in Livery"—"The Devil's a Dunce”—
"The Toy Shop"-Fielding-Smollett..
CHAPTER VIII.
113
Cowper-Lady Austen's Influence-" John Gilpin"—" The
Task" - Goldsmith "The Citizen of the World"-
Humorous Poems-Quacks-Baron Münchausen 127
CHAPTER IX.
The Anti-Jacobin-Its Objects and Violence—“ The
Friends of Freedom"-Imitation of Latin Lyrics-The
'Knife Grinder'-The "Progress of Man".
66
CHAPTER X.
141
Wolcott-Writes against the Academicians-Tales of a
Hoy-" New Old Ballads”—“ The Sorrows of Sunday"-
Ode to a Pretty Barmaid-Sheridan—Comic Situations—
"The Duenna"-Wits
150
CHAPTER XI.
Southey-Drolls of Bartholomew Fair-The "Doves"-
Typographical Devices-Puns-Poems of Abel Shuffle-
bottom
164
Lamb-His Farewell to Tobacco-Pink Hose-On the
Melancholy of Tailors-Roast Pig
1 175
CHAPTER XIII.
Byron-Vision of Judgment-Lines to Hodgson-Beppo
-Humorous Rhyming-Profanity of the Age
184
CHAPTER XIV.
Theodore Hook-Improvisatore Talent-Poetry-Sydney
Smith-The " Dun Cow"-Thomas Hood-Gin-Tylney
Hall-John Trot-Barham's Legends
CHAPTER XVI.
196
Douglas Jerrold-Liberal Politics-Advantages of Ugliness
-Button Conspiracy-Advocacy of Dirt-The "Genteel
Pigeons"
CHAPTER XVII.
. 207
Thackeray-His Acerbity-The Baronet-The Parson-
Medical Ladies-Glorvina-" A Serious Paradise"
CHAPTER XVIII.
216
Dickens-Sympathy with the Poor-Vulgarity---Geniality
-Mrs. Gamp--Mixture of Pathos and Humour-Lever
and Dickens compared--Dickens' power of Description
-General Remarks
CHAPTER XIX.
226
Variation-Constancy-Influence of Temperament-Of Ob-
servation-Bulls-Want of Knowledge-Effects of Emo-
tion-Unity of the Sense of the Ludicrous
CHAPTER XX.
241
Definition-Difficulties of forming one of Humour.
276
CHAPTER XXI.
Charm of Mystery-Complication-Poetry and Humour
compared-Exaggeration
CHAPTER XXII.
285
Imperfection-An Impression of Falsity implied—Two
Views taken by Philosophers-Firstly that of Voltaire,
Jean Paul, Brown, the German Idealists, Léon Dumont,
Secondly that of Descartes, Marmontel and Dugald
Stewart-Whately on Jests-Nature of Puns-Effect of
Custom and Habit-Accessory Emotion-Disappoint-
ment and Loss-Practical Jokes
CHAPTER XXIII.
307
Nomenclature-Three Classes of Words-Distinction be-
tween Wit and Humour-Wit sometimes dangerous,
generally innocuous
339